TIRUMALA: A three-member Specified Authority has taken charge of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). K. Kannababu, Secretary of the Revenue (Endowments) Department, took oath as a member at the Bangaru Vakili of the Srivari temple on Saturday. Additional Executive Officer Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary administered the oath, and Vedic scholars offered Veda Ashirvachanam at the Ranganayakula Mandapam.
Why the Authority
- The two-year term of the TTD Trust Board ended on October 31. The Act has no provision to extend it, and the model code for local body elections makes a new board unlikely before the polls.
- Government Order 658, issued on November 2, set up the Authority with Executive Officer Muddada Ravichandra as chairman and Finance Secretary V. Vinay Chand and Kannababu as members.
- It holds all the board's powers for one year or until a new board is formed, whichever comes first. Ravichandra took oath as chairman on Friday.
Kannababu said he would work to improve services for devotees and protect temple traditions, and thanked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Saturday at Tirumala
TTD said 80,367 devotees had darshan on Saturday, up from 65,467 the day before. 27,401 offered tonsure, and the hundi collected ₹3.34 crore. On Sunday all 31 compartments were full, and sarva darshan without a token was taking about 15 hours.
